WASHINGTON, D.C. —Forest Products Laboratory Engineer Dr. Zhiyong Cai, was invited to Washington D.C. by the USDA Federal Asian Pacific American Council in celebration of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month to present and demonstrate his Chinese calligraphy art at the Asian American and Pacific Islanders event on May 30.

Cai has created many works of art utilizing his calligraphy talent and embraces it as part of his cultural heritage.

“It was a great opportunity for me to participate in the event, share my passion for Chinese calligraphy and meet lots of people from across the agency,” said Cai. “As an Asian American, I feel like I am included as a USDA Forest Service family member and am so proud to make contributions to our agency and towards our mission.”

The art of calligraphy, often translated as “beautiful writing,” is an ancient art form of writing used by many cultures throughout history. Chinese calligraphy is among the finest examples of this form of writing.

The earliest instances of the Chinese writing date back to the Shang dynasty (ca.1600-ca.1100 B.C.E.). Chinese Calligraphy started to develop during the Han dynasty (206 B.C.E.-220 C.E). The tools utilized to create Chinese calligraphy—an inkstone, a brush, ink, and paper—have remained the same throughout history and are still the tools of choice today.

In addition to his talent for calligraphy, Cai is also a very well-respected materials research engineer with the Forest Products Laboratory and within the research and development realm. His works involve developing new bio-based composites, understanding the manufacturing processes and improving the performance of wood composites.